THEOLOGY
OF THE FORMS
OF CHRISTIAN LIFE IN THE CHURCH
Introduction
Why a Theology of the Forms of Christian Life in the Church?
We are accustomed to study the different Forms of Christian Life separately: priesthood, laity, consecrated life. However, in order to clarify the true nature and identity of each of these Forms of Christian Life, it is necessary to look at them in ecological relation and complementarity.
Vatican II placed the foundations for this kind of understanding of the different Forms of Christian Life in the Church, but did not elaborate. The Post-Synodal Exhortations Christifideles laici, Pastores dabo vobis, and Vita consecrata are clear signs that the People of God is evolving towards a charismatic and organic communion in the Church, without elitist groups and monopolies.
We shall divide the study in three main parts, following a simple theological methodology:
1.- The presentation of the historical evolution of the different Forms of Christian Life since the New Testament to Vatican II, as well as the theological reflection which accompanied this historical evolution
2.- A systematic theological presentation of the Christological and Ecclesiological Foundations of the Forms of Christian Life
3.- A theological reflection on the nature and identity of each one of the different Forms of Christian Life in the Church
Each one of these parts will be subdivided in chapters. At the end of each chapter, their will be some questions for reflection, discussion and term papers, which will allow the professor or tutor to have a more clear idea about the process of growth and journey of the students in this subject.
Table of Contents:
VOLUME
I
HISTORICAL-THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER I: GENERAL INTRODUCTION (download)
I. Human life and its different forms
II. The theological method to elaborate a theology of the forms of life
III. Where to situate a theology of the forms of life and ministry within the field of theology
IV. Towards an existential ecclesiology or ä "charismatic Anthropology. Conclusions
Bibliography
FIRST
PART:
THEOLOGY OF THE FORMS OF LIFE
(first Millennium)
CHAPTER II: MATRIMONY AND VIRGINITY (The four phases of the Covenant) (download)
I. The graeco-roman context
II.- Matrimony in the Old Testament: The three phases of the covenant
III.- Fourth phase: christian novelty: Matrimony and Celibacy in the context of the
IV.- The Covenant is the key to understand matrimony and Eschatology is the horizon ( Conclusion)
Bibliography
CHAPTER III: MATRIMONY AND VIRGINITY "Theologies" of the Fathers. (download)
I.- Christian defense of marriage during the first centuries
II.- Christian perspectives of Matrimony
III.- The praise of Virginity (Theological Treaties)
IV.- Fifth Phase: Absolute Primacy of Virginity (Conclusions)
Bibliography
CHAPTER IV: LAICAL AND MONASTIC CHRISTIAN LIFE (theological reflections) (download)
I.- Form of life of every christian person
II.- The "way of the Spirit" (Monasticism and other forms of CHRISTIAN life in the Orient).
III.- The Monastic Community in the Occidental Church
IV.- The Passion to be Christians (Conclusions)
Bibliography
CHAPTER V: ORDAINED MINISTRIES AND LAITY (Theological reflections) (download)
I.- Power and charism: the perspective of the new testament
II.- Transformations in the ecclesial organization: Institucionalization of the ministries
III.- Theological reflections on the ordained ministry
IV.- From an existential ecclesiology to an institutional one (Conclusions)
Bibliography
SECOND
PART:
THEOLOGY OF THE FORMS OF CHRISTIAN LIFE
(Middle Age and Renaissance)
CHAPTER VI: The States ("Ordines") of Christian Life. Forms of Life in the Middle Age (download)
I.- Socio-ecclesial Orders and States of Life in the Medieval Period
II.- States of Life and States of Perfection (Thomas Aquinas)
III.- States of life as narrative: "The book of Evast & blanquerna"
IV.- Theology of the State of Perfection within the other States of Christian Life (Francisco Suarez)
IV.- Between the state and the Utopia (Conclusions)
Bibliography
CHAPTER VII: MATRIMONY, SACRAMENT OF THE VIRGINAL LOVE (download)
I.- How was the matrimonial institution lived out and understood during the medieval period?
II.- Love and Matrimony: A ne Anthropological-Theological Vision
III.- Towards a Theology of the Sacrament of Marriage
IV.- Matrimony and Virginity in the Reform and Counter- Reform. Again the controversy!
V.- Love and Sacrament: Questions never totally answered (Conclusions)
Bibliography
CHAPTER VIII: LAITY AND RELIGIOUS. UNFINISHED THEOLOGY (download)
I.- The Laity in the Spiritual Climate of the Middle Age (c. 11th - 14th)
II.- Theological reflections on the Religious State
III.- The controversy over the monastic and religious vows
IV.- Theology of Religious Life strongly critizised and oblibion of the laity (Conclusions)
Bibliography
CHAPTER IX: LAITY AND ORDAINED MINISTERS (Nos et Plebs Tua Sancta) (download)
I.- Who were really the laity during the Middle Age?
II.- Theological reflections on the Ordained Ministry
III.- The Laity after the Council of Trent
IV.- Towards the great Clericalization (Conclusions)
Bibliography
THIRD
PART:
THEOLOGY OF THE FORMS OF CHRISTIAN LIFE
(Our Times)
CHAPTER X: THE FORMS OF CHRISTIAN LIFE IN THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL VATICAN II (download)
I.- Forms of life in the preparatory phase: The first anxieties!
II.- The great ecclesiological debate: Towards the balance of the forms of life and to mission
III.- The christian form of Consecrated Life ("Perfectae Caritatis")
IV.- The Matrimonial and Familial Form of Life
V.- The Laical Form of Christian Life
VI.- Life and Ministry of the Presbyters
VII.- A New Starting point for the Theology of the Forms of Christian Life (Conclusions)
Bibliography
CHAPTER XI: THE STATES OF CHRISTIAN LIFE ACCORDING TO MODERN AUTHORS (download)
I-. States of Life: Fundamentally as before!
II.- Forms of christian existence and states! (Karl Rahner)
III.- States of Christian Life or Forms to be in front of God (Urs von Balthasar)
IV.- Not States, but Forms of Life
V.- Difficulty in systematizing: Tradition and Creativity (Conclusions)
Bibliography
CHAPTER XII: ORDAINED MINISTRY AND LAITY. Pos-conciliar Theological Reflection (download)
I.- Theological explanations on the identity of the Ordained Ministry
II.- Theological explanations about the Identity of "Christifideles Laici"
III.- relation clergy-laity
IV.- The Synod on the Christifideles Laici
V.- Correlation in the sphere of the charismatic ministeriality (Conclusions)
Bibliography
PART
IV:
JESUOLOGICAL-CHRISTOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF THE FORMS OF CHRISTIAN LIFE
CHAPTER I: THE NEW LIFE OF THE REIGN OF GOD AND JESUS, ITS MEDIATOR AND MEBASSER (download)
I.- The reign of God which is coming: New Life
II.- The Mediator of the new Life: "I am the Life"
III.- "Where is, death, your victory?" Resurrection and Parusia
IV. Conclusions
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CHAPTER II: THE COMMUNITY OF THE REIGN: LIFE WITH JESUS AND "TO LIVE IN CHRIST" (download)
I.- The Community of life in the following of Jesus
II.- The Community of the Risen Lord: in eschatological provisionality
III.- Conclusions
Bibliography
PART
V:
THE COMMUNION IN THE SPIRIT:
PNEUMATOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
CHAPTER I: THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND ITS CHARISMS, SOURCE OF LIFE (download)
I.- The Ruah of God and of Jesus which transforms the life and mission of the human being
II.- The charisms of the Spirit and the forms of Christian life
III.- Conclusions
Bibliography
CHAPTER II: FUNDAMENTAL COMMUNION OF THE FORMS OF CHRISTIAN LIFE (download)
I.- The Communion: "Christifidels" in only one Body
II.- Individual and personal forms of living the faith
III.- Conclusions
PART
VI:
IDENTITY OF THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF CHRISTIAN LIFE
CHAPTER I: MATRIMONY AND FAMILY FOR THE REIGN OF GOD "Christifideles coniugati" (download)
I.- Matrimony and Family: Different Cultures
II.- Family and Matrimony
III.- Conclusions
Bibliography
CHAPTER II: CELIBACY FOR THE REIGN OF GOD (download)
I.- Celibacy: A form of life "with reserves"
II.- The celibacy of Jesus as foundation
III.- Celibacy as Discipleship: Perspectives
IV Matrimony and Virginity
V.- Conclusions
Bibliography
CHAPTER III: THE ORDAINED MINISTRY AS A FORM OF CHRISTIAN LIFE (download)
I.- It is a sate of life or just a Ministry? : The question
II.- Under the primacy of the Diakonia: new perspectives
III.- The apostolic origins
IV.- The Triple Function: Prophetic, Pastoral and Sacerdotal
V.- The Ordained Ministry as a Form of Life and its Forms
VI.- Conclusions
Bibliography
CHAPTER IV: THE LAICAL MINISTERIALITY AS FORM OF LIFE: "Christifideles Laici" (download)
I.- Christifideles Laici, Protagonist of the mission and ministeriality of the church
II.- Laical Ministries "in a Feminine Way"
III.- Consecrated Life as "Sacrum Ministerium"
IV Conclusion
Bibliography
CAPTER V: "CHRISTIFIDELES SAECULARES ET CONSECRATI" (download)
I.- The criteria of distinction among the forms of life
II.- An existential Parable within the People of God
Bibliography